The present invention is a system and method for transmitting data. More specifically, the present invention is a system and method for transmitting digital data via a reflective wave signal as the primary means to differentiate a signal into distinctive states.
Conventional logic in system design has always been highly linear. For example, information had to be transmitted as energy. Therefore, the source of information also had to be the source for the energy of the system. This appeared to be the only logical arrangement. Thus, the principal of modulation became the universal technique for virtually every system of communications, and especially essential to every form of modern digital communications.
In the context of this prevailing design philosophy, signal reflection has necessarily been viewed as merely a consequence of bad design, such that if the impedance between a given transmitter and its channel of transmission is mismatched, the signal is obstructed and a portion of its power bounces back upon the source. The result is an effective loss in the energy of transmission, as well as a potentially destructive increasing current flow as the power builds up across the transmitter. Consequently, considerable care has been taken to eliminate the phenomena of reflection from all modern communications and power generating systems.
In addition to this inherent problem, the nature of the modulation process also manifests numerous, self-limiting secondary effects. These include a propensity for inherent signal distortion, the generation of sidebands, a high susceptibility to noise, and a low data rate-to-carrier frequency ratio. With respect to inherent signal distortion, sudden changes in potential are inevitably introduced into a waveform signal. These sudden changes are resisted by the capacitive and inductive elements within every modulation and receiving circuit. This introduces both additional noise and phase shifts within the signal that must be taken into account in order to facilitate proper decoding.
With respect to sidebands, the introduction of sudden changes in potential produces a spectrum of secondary reverberations within modulating circuits. The spectrum of secondary reverberations is the harmonics of the underlying carrier and are known as sidebands. Sidebands ultimately determine the total bandwidth consumed by a basic signal, but also represent a measure of power wasted in unused frequencies. Additionally, sideband spectrums of respective carriers provide a source of mutual interference.
With respect to high susceptibility to noise, sudden changes in signal potential are also inherently similar to simple random noise, thus ultimately making it difficult to distinguish an actual signal from random noise spikes. As is known in the art, numerous sophisticated and coding schemes are applied to compensate for the noise, but naturally incur an increased demand on the available bandwidth. Error detection/correction schemes in conjunction with the production of sidebands provide an appreciable waste in terms of bandwidth and system power.
With respect to low data rate-to-carrier frequency ratio, the width of a pulse must be comprised of many oscillations of the carrier since the carrier oscillation defines the basis for the density of each data pulse. The frequency of the data rate must, by definition, be much lower in frequency than that of the carrier. Coupled with a great susceptibility to error, it is physically impossible for the data rate to ever closely approach, equal, or exceed the oscillatory rate of the carrier.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for transmitting data which overcomes the inherent limitations of a conventional modulation system.